by Elaine Hart
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Table of Contents
Lady of His Dreams
A Heart of a Lady
A Lady’s Melody
Worthy of a Lady
Lady of His Dreams
The Daughters of Devonshire
Elaine Hart
Chapter One
June 1812
Powderham House
Exeter
Devonshire
England
The library was quiet and provided the perfect escape from the daily ruckus of Powderham House, or at least that was Lady Caroline’s opinion. Having three younger sisters who were as lively as they came, Lady Caroline had to seek out the library and made it her personal place of solitude where she immersed herself not only in the silence that enveloped her as a warm woollen blanket would in the winter, but also to immerse herself in the hundreds of books that were practically begging to be read. Her father, the Duke of Glastonbury, had books delivered to their home, satiating Lady Caroline’s need for intriguing literature. She was the only one of her siblings who possessed this craving for literature, especially academic literature. Her younger sister, Lady Rebecca, had her eye on the romantic, and rather unrealistic in Lady Caroline’s eyes, novels which contained tales of love and desire. Lady Caroline embraced her sister’s ethereal outlook on life, but found it rather unrealistic. Of course she made her feelings regarding love very clear, and that her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Glastonbury, should not expect her to marry anytime soon, not even to mention having children.
Despite being only twenty years of age, she was much more mature than any of her peers. Her very good friend, Lady Harriet, who lived nearby, was the only person Lady Caroline’s age who understood her need to keep the men at bay, as their perspective was similar. Lady Caroline wished to attend university, but she still required her father’s approval to do so, and despite asking him relentlessly, he had not succumbed to her needs. Luckily, Lady Caroline was as persistent as she was ambitious, and knew her father would eventually agree. Until then, she would continue to educate herself as much as possible and prove to her father that she would easily manage.
A smile ran across her pink lips at the mere thought of attending university, and a warm feeling bubbled up inside her.
The sound of the library door opening made her glance up from her book and at her father, who approached her with caution. She never quite understood why, but she relished it.
“Father,” she smiled as she closed her book.
“I am terribly sorry to intrude, my dear. I am well aware how you seek solitude, especially when your sisters decide to run amuck downstairs,” the Duke said, sighing slightly.
“They can be rather boisterous and rambunctious if given the opportunity,” she pointed out as she placed her book on the low table beside her and stood.
“I see you have been reading the scholastic documents that arrived yesterday,” the Duke said.
“I have. They are quite fascinating. I do hope that is alright, Father.”
“Indeed. It is there to be read. In fact, that is why I have come to speak with you.”
“Regarding scholastic documents?”
“There is no easy way to say this, my dear, but I feel that you are hiding away up here.”
“But I am. I would go mad as a March hare if I had to spend every day listening to their ruckus,” she said.
“Perhaps you could visit with Lady Harriet.”
She narrowed her eyes and slowly approached him. “You do not want me here?”
“I do not want you stuck inside while the days are warm and lovely, Caroline,” he answered. “You are my daughter and I delight in your company, but isolating yourself cannot be healthy.”
“Is that what Mother told you?”
“Your mother and I are simply concerned.”
“There is nothing to be concerned about, Father,” Lady Caroline insisted.
“Please do not fight me on this matter, Caroline. I realize that you prefer the library to any other room in the house.”
“Or the entire world,” she pointed out and cocked her head.
“Lady Harriet will be delighted to have you visit her for the summer.”
“You wish me gone the entire summer? That is rather preposterous, Father.”
“If you do this, I will send an application to Oxford University for the start of the next academic year,” the Duke said gallantly.
Lady Caroline’s jaw dropped and it took her a few moments to register what her father had just told her. A gasp escaped her throat and she brought her hands up to her face.
“You are being serious, Father?” she asked.
“Indeed. Your persistence seems to have paid off.”
“You will allow me to attend Oxford?” she asked and he nodded. “The University of Oxford?”
“The place you wished to attend ever since you started to read,” he answered with a smile. “But of course, if you do not wish to—”
“Of course I wish to go. This has been a dream of mine for so many years,” she exclaimed and threw her arms in the air.
“And it will be realized, but only on this one condition,” he answered.
“You wish me to have a fun-filled summer with my best friend as a prerequisite to attend Oxford University.”
“Indeed,” he answered.
“With all due respect, Father, have you gone mad?” she asked tactlessly.
“I certainly do not hope so.”
“And Mother agrees with this?”
“It was she who suggested it,” he answered.
She let out an excited sigh and nodded. “I will do what you ask. When would you wish me to leave?”
“As soon as you wish. Norman is readying the coach as we speak.”
She narrowed her eyes at him once again and said, “You were fairly confident that I would agree.”
“You would certainly never refuse Oxford,” the Duke pointed out and she nodded.
“You know me too well,” she beamed.
“Your mother and I will be on the terrace. Please inform us of your departure,” he said, winked at her, and swiftly left the library.
A delighted smile formed on her lips and she laughed happily as she twirled around.
“What is the matter with you, Caroline?”
Lady Caroline stopped abruptly and saw her younger sister, Lady Rebecca, standing in the doorway, looking rather perplexed at her odd behaviour.
“I have received the best news, sister,” Lady Caroline answered happily.
“And that is?”
“I will be visiting with Lady Harriet for the summer.”
“What is special about that?” Lady Rebecca asked, crossing her arms. “Is it perhaps because her brothers are visiting as well?”
“Her brothers are visiting?” Lady Caroline asked, sounding rather disappointed.
“Please take me with you,” Lady Rebecca begged. “Lucy and Diana have me on the verge of insanity.”
“I doubt that Father would allow you to come with me.”
“Please,” she begged once more.
“I am sorry, Rebecca but I will not ask him, and nor should you.”
Lady Rebecca scoffed and said, “You cannot have them both, Caroline.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” she asked.
“Lady Harriet’s brothers, of course.”
“I do not wish to have either of them.”
“Not even Lord Erasmus?”
“Not even him, now pardon me. I must pack,” Lady Caroline smiled gallantly and brushed past her sister. “Oh, and there is a stack of romantic novels behind the statue for you.”
Lady Rebecca's eyes lit up instantaneously and she rushed over to the marble statue of Athena. “You are forgiven,” she said happily as she retrieved the books.
Lady Caroline smiled and winked at her sister before leaving the library.
Fursdon House
Exeter
Devonshire
England
If there was one thing that most people who visited Fursdon House would certainly agree on, it was that the estate was the most magnificent stately home in the entire county. From the architectural structure, to the interior, to the gardens, Fursdon House was a jewel of an estate and it had been in the Duke of Fursdon’s family for nearly ten generations.
Lady Harriet stood on the front steps of Fursdon House, more than a tad bit excited as she saw the coach approach. She was delighted to receive word from Powderham House that Lady Caroline would be visiting her for the summer. She had been rather lonely at the estate, regardless if her brothers were visiting. They were four years older than Lady Harriet and had absolutely nothing in common with her, or one another. The three siblings were very different, each possessing a very strong personality. They could not agree on anything, nor have civilized conversations.
The eldest of the twins, Lord Dundee was a rake. There was no other way to describe him. He loved women, the more the merrier in his opinion, and he was too aloof to care of anything important, except his own pleasure and happiness. Lord Erasmus was not as boisterous as his brother, but could be charming in a more subtle manner. He was kind and well-spoken, but still stubborn, believing that a man should be both loyal and admirable, unlike his brother who was only the latter.
Lady Harriet rolled her eyes when her brothers stepped out into the sunlight and joined her on the cobblestone pathway.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked.
“We have come to welcome our guest,” Lord Dundee smirked.
“You mean my guest,” Lady Harriet corrected him.
“Your guest, our guest. What is the difference?”
“There is a big difference. Lady Caroline is my friend and I do not wish for you,” Lady Harriet pointed to Lord Erasmus, and then at Lord Dundee, “and especially you, to ruin our summer.”
“What on earth did I do?” Lord Erasmus asked with a furrowed brow.
“You are warned. Both of you.”
Lord Dundee chuckled and turned to Lord Erasmus. “It is rather refreshing to see that our little sister has grown up to be more like me than you.”
Lady Harriet slapped him on the arm and he glanced at her. “Careful, now.”
“I am serious, Thomas,” she said ominously and glared at Lord Dundee. “You would not want Father to become aware of the reason why you have come for a visit, do you?”
“You manipulative little woman,” Lord Dundee said and glanced at Lord Erasmus, who failed to suppress his laughter.
“She is much smarter than you, that is certain,” Lord Erasmus chuckled.
“I trust you will behave,” Lady Harriet said and glanced at her brothers.
“Of course,” Lord Erasmus answered and glanced at Lord Dundee, who pursed his lips, not uttering a word.
The coach slowly approached them and it came to a stop as one of the coachmen climbed off. He walked around to the door and opened it, allowing Lady Caroline to climb out.
“Lady Caroline,” Lady Harriet exclaimed happily and walked briskly over to her friend.
“Lady Harriet,” Lady Caroline said with a smile and embraced her friend. “It is lovely to see you.”
“Indeed it is.”
Lady Caroline glanced at the two men standing silently a short distance away and she glanced at Lady Harriet. “I heard from Rebecca that your brothers are visiting.”
“Indeed,” Lady Harriet said and rolled her eyes. “Allow me to introduce you to my dear siblings,” she said rather sardonically.
Lady Caroline suppressed a smile as the two ladies walked over to the twins.
“Lady Caroline, I wish to introduce you to my brothers, Lord Dundee and Lord Erasmus.”
“You do not need to introduce us, sister. We met her already,” Lord Dundee pointed out with a smirk as he glanced at Lady Caroline.
“When?” Lady Harriet asked.
“When you were five years old.”
“I am fairly certain she does not remember, nor do you,” Lord Erasmus pointed out gallantly.
“I only remember you briefly,” Lady Caroline said as she glanced at them, “but it is wonderful to meet you, officially.”
“Likewise,” Lord Erasmus said with a nod.
“Indeed,” Lord Dundee said with a wink.
Lady Caroline felt rather overwhelmed at the sight of them and frowned.
Lord Dundee and Lord Erasmus were the epitome of handsome according to everyone in the county. Of course, Lady Caroline was aware of this, but she never let on that she felt this way, not even when they smiled at her the way they smiled at her right at that moment.
Or at least Lord Dundee was. He was the older of the twins, even if it was merely by a few minutes. He seemed much more confident than Lord Erasmus, or perhaps it was due to his more dominant personality overshadowing any others.
“Let us go inside, Lady Caroline. We have much to talk about,” Lady Harriet beamed and glanced at her brothers. “Please ensure that the coachmen bring Lady Caroline’s belongings up to her chamber. It is directly next to mine.”
“Certainly,” Lord Dundee answered and beside him, Lord Erasmus simply nodded.
Much later that evening, after dinner, Lady Harriet and Lady Caroline sat on Lady Harriet’s bed, laughing and being rather nostalgic.
“Harriet?” Lady Caroline asked.
“Yes, my dearest friend?”
“I have been trying to think this out for myself the entire evening, but I cannot. How do you distinguish between your two brothers?”
“It is easy, really.”
“Perhaps to you. You have seen them your entire life,” Lady Caroline shrugged.
“Perhaps, but they are very different. Erasmus has green eyes, where Thomas’s eyes are more hazel. Erasmus is also slightly shorter, but his shoulders are broader than Thomas’s. Thomas’s hair is disheveled at most times while Erasmus is very particular about his appearance.”
“That I have noticed.”
“Why the interest in my brothers?”
“I simply wish to know who I encounter if the occasion arises,” she answered and glanced at Lady Harriet. “Fear not, I am not interested in your brothers.”
“Not even in Thomas? Very few women can honestly say that they are not.”
“I am not,” Lady Caroline vowed.
“Good. He is trouble, and I ought to know. I know what he is like and I wished other women knew it as well. He is a rake and cares not as much as he pretends to.”
“I have heard the tales of him. Rebecca is infatuated with him,” Lady Caroline said.
“Your sister needs a slap, to be frank.”
“I have been saying that for years,” Lady Caroline chuckled and Lady Harriet burst out laughing.
Their laughter subsided and Lady Caroline glanced at Lady Harriet. “I have news.”
“What news?”
“My father will send an application to Oxford University in September for me,” she answered enthusiastically.
“Goodness! That is wonderful news! How on earth did you get him to do that? You had been nagging him for years,” Lady Harriet shrieked with excitement.
&
nbsp; “Perhaps he was growing tired of my nagging after all this time,” she answered with a chuckle.
“I am sincerely happy for you, my dearest friend.”
“I am rather nervous, being on my own, but I am rather excited.”
“You should not be nervous. Erasmus also attends Oxford. At least you will be acquainted with someone there.”
“I was not aware he attended Oxford.”
“Indeed. He is very academic, unlike Thomas.”
“Does Thomas attend Oxford as well?”
“Oh, no. He came for a visit from Europe. Coincidentally at the same time as Erasmus, but I would rather not say why.”
“Surely you can tell me. I am your dearest friend.”
Lady Harriet shook hr head and answered, “Regrettably, I cannot. If this information came to light, my father would disown him and Erasmus would inherit the title of Duke Fursdon.”
“That sounds rather scandalous.”
“It is,” Lady Harriet said with a nod.
The two young ladies spent the duration of the night laughing over silly things as they used to, and eventually fell asleep.
A rather loud and boisterous banging on the door woke Lady Caroline the next morning, and for a moment she imagined herself back at Powderham House, being woken by her lively sisters. She sat upright and glanced at Lady Harriet, who was still fast asleep beside her. The knocking continued, and Lady Caroline could not fathom how her friend could possibly sleep with all that racket. She slid off the bed and as she walked to the door, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror which made her cringe. The poor soul on the other side of the door was in for the fright of their lives. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair, but was well aware that her efforts to look decent were out the window. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Her eyes widened and her cheeks colored as she stared into the hazel eyes of Lord Dundee.
“Good morning, my lady,” he said with a smirk.
“Good morning, my lord,” she answered rather breathlessly. She was now much more aware of him and stepped back slightly.
“My sincerest apologies for waking you.”
